Dispensing-cabinet and measuring-scoop therefor.



PATBNTED NOV. 17, 1903. w. s. THOMAS. DISPENSING CABINET AND MEASURING SCOOP THEREFOR.

APPLIUATI ON FILED SEPT. 29, 1902'.

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APPLIOATION FILED SE-PT. 29, 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 17, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAMS. THOMAS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO DAVID G.

EVANS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. v

DISPENSING-CABINET AND MEASURING-SCOOP THEREFOR.

' srnorrronrlon forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,129, dated. November 17, 1903.

Application filed September 29, 1902. Serial No. 125,201. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing-Cabinets and Measuring-Scoops Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to. means for facilitating the dispensing of coffee or other similar articles, and has for its principal objects to provide means for dispensing certain quantitles by weight without the necessity of actually weighing each quantity separately.

My invention consists principally in a scoop provided with an adjustable bottom.

It also consists in a storage-bin provided with a spout of proper size for the scoop to fit over.

It also consists in such a storage-bin provided with a series of adjustable scoops of assorted sizes all adapted to fit over the spout ofthe bin.

It also consists in the parts and in the an rangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a front view of the cabinet with two scoops hanging therefrom; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of said cabinet on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. v Fig. 3 is avertical crosssection through the spout and lower portion of a bin on the-line 3 3 of 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a measuring-scoop.

My cabinet preferably consists of two or more bins or compartments 1, each provided with a separate cover 2 and a back-stop 3 therefor. The cabinet is arranged to be supported upon legs 4 provided therefor or upon a counter or table, as preferred. In order to adapt said cabinet for support upon legs, it is provided with sockets formed by angle-pieces 5, soldered at the inside angles of the lower portion of said cabinet. In order to adapt it for support upon atable or counter, it is preferably provided with flexible metal flaps 6, which are fastened on the inside of its lower edge. These flaps 6 are adapted to extend out from under said edge, so that tacks or nails may be driven therethrough into the counter.

The bottom 7 of each binis arranged at a suitable distance above the lower edge of its walls, and said bottom inclines from each wall towarda spout 8, suspended from said bottom near enough to the front wall of the bin to be clear of the edge of the counter or table upon which the cabinet rests. Each spout is provided with horizontal grooves or guides 9, in which slides a cut-off piece or gate 10. This cut-off gate 10 has a suitable handle 11 outside of the spout 8 and a projection or limiting-stop 12 on the inside thereof. The limiting-stop 12 is arranged to bear against the back and front walls respectively of the spout,

and thereby determine the proper closed and open positions of the gate 10 and prevent its accidental removal.

Each bin or compartment has a spout of equal circumference with that of the other spouts. One or more scoops 13 of a size to fit over said spouts are provided for each cabinet.

The several scoops have the same diameter,

but are of different lengths. Each scoop comprises a cylindrical body portion 14, with one end open and with the other end 15 closed or provided with a fixed plate. Upon this closed end or fixed plate is fastened a hollow handle 16 and also a threaded nut or block 17. EX- tending entirely through the hollow handle is a rod 18, which is threaded to work in the threaded'nut or block 17. The inner end of this rodlS carries a plate 19 thereon, preferably having a limited surface bearing on the body portion, which constitutes a false bottom for the scoop. In order that the false bottom may not be required toturn with the rod, it is preferable to solder or otherwise fasten to the rod two plates 20 of smaller diameter than the false bottom, one being fastened on'each.

side of said false bottom. The outer end 21 of the rod projects through an opening provided therefor in the end of the handle 16 and is bent to providea good purchase for 5 or upon the table or counter, as preferred. In either case the spouts are accessible. A definite weight of coffee or other contents of the bins is measured on a scale or balance in the usual way and is then poured into the scoop. The projecting end of the scoop-rod is then turned until the false bottom is raised to such an extent that the contents of the scoop are on a level with the top edge thereof, and in this position of the false bottom a quantity of the contents of the bin sufiicient to fill the scoop will weigh the amount ascertained by the scale. It is therefore unnecessary to weigh such contents in each individual case, but in order to dispense with such a weight it is only necessary to fill the scoop. For this purpose the scoop is placed over the lower end of the spout and slid upwardly thereon until its upper edge bears against the projecting guide of the gate or cut-off slide, which is'so located as to determine the proper position of the scoop for filling. Then the slide or gate is pulled to allow the contents of the bin to fall into said scoop, whereupon the slide or gate is closed and. the scoop withdrawn.

In order to extend the utility of my system, it is preferable to have a complete series of adjustable scoops corresponding to the weights ordinarily used in dispensing cofiee or other articles with which said scoops are most likely to be used.

My device admits of considerable modification without departing from my invention, and I do not wish to be restricted to the exact construction hereinbefore shown and described.

WVhat I claim is- 1. An adjustable scoop comprising a body, an end plate therefor, a hollow handle, a threaded nut on said end plate, a threaded rod working in said nut and extending through said handle, and a false bottom movable with said threaded rod, said threaded rod projecting beyond said handle and having its end looped.

2. The combination of a cabinet having a discharge-spout in its bottom and a projecting gate for said spout adapted to serve as a stop for cooperating scoops, of a series of adjustable scoops of assorted sizes each having a body closely fitting said spout and adapted to slide on said spout until stopped by said projecting gate, whereby its respective volume is inclosed by either of said scoops and said gate.

3. The combination of a cabinet having a plurality of compartments, counterpart discharge-spouts in the bottoms of said compartments, respectively, projecting cut-off gates for said spouts adapted to serve as stops for a cooperating scoop, and an adjustable measuring-scoop having a body closely fitting and adapted to slide on either of said spouts until stopped by its projecting gate, whereby a predetermined volume is inclosed by said scoop and gate.

4. The combination of a cabinet having a plurality of compartments,counterpartspouts in the bottoms of said compartments, respectively, projecting cut-off gates for said spout adapted to serve as stops for cooperating scoops, and a series of adjustable measuringscoops of assorted sizes each having a body closely fitting and adapted to slide on either of said spouts until stopped by its projecting gate, whereby its respective volume is inclosed by either of said scoops and either of said gates.

WILLIAM S. THOMAS. \Vitnesses:

EUGENE BUDER, JAMES A. CARR. 

